Border conflic

Prime Minister Hun Sen says Cambodia will attend talks with Thailand scheduled for this week in Indonesia regardless of whether officials in Bangkok back out, as they are reportedly considering doing.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told the MCOT state news agency last week that the talks in Indonesia on Thursday and Friday may be limited to the countries’ bilateral Joint Border Committee, which deals with demarcation issues. Senior Thai military officials have expressed opposition to a concurrent meeting of the General Border Committee, which deals with security.

“I don’t care if Thailand goes to the meeting or not. Thailand will have to resolve this matter with Indonesia, and Indonesia will have to resolve it with the UN Security Council,” Hun Sen said at the Anticorruption Unit on Friday.

The proposed talks in Indonesia come following clashes between Thailand and Cambodia in February near Preah Vihear temple that left at least ten people dead, dozens injured and thousands of civilians displaced.

Officials in Bangkok could not be reached for comment, though Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Friday that Thailand was “engaging with Cambodia to go ahead [with] the JBC meeting” this week, according to The Nation newspaper.